Improvement in fifth-wheels for vehicles



S. S. OLAAR. Fifth-Wheel fonVehidles.

No. 210,009. Patented Nov. 19, I878.

WITNESSES IFiVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

SAMUEL S. GLAAR, OF BEDFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIFTH- WHEELS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,009, dated November 19, 1878 application filed October 12, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. CLAAR, of Bedford, in the county of Bedford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Axle-Couplings for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a sectional View of the axlecoupling. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the coupling.

This invention has relation to an improvement in vehicles. 7

The object of the invention is mainly to improve the fifth-wheel or coupling in such manner as to be able to dispense with a king-bolt.

The nature of the invention consists in the combination, with a bed-plate upon the axle, of a turn-disk, a ring secured to the bed and overhanging the disk, and a cap-plate secured to said disk, covering in the same, and provided with means of attachment to the headblock, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In the annexed drawings, the letter Gr indicates the bed-plate of my improved fifth-wheel attachment, the same being a metallic disk of suitable diameter rigidly secured to the fore axle by means of clips 9, and, if I so elect, slightly concaved upon its upper face. This disk has upon its edge anumber of perforated lugs, i, through which project from below the headed bolts h, the object of which will be hereinafter shown. J indicates a second disk, resting upon the bed-plate G, being concentric therewith and of less diameter than the same. This diskis held in position by an overhanging ring, I, having upon its edges the lugs i, corresponding to the lugs dot the bed. The bolts it pass through the lugs i, and the said ring is clamped to the bed-plate over the disk J by means of nuts it, applied upon the screws h.

L L represent bolts projecting through the disk J from below, andhavingtheirheads countersunk into the same. These bolts are of sufficient length to reach up above the headblock, and are arranged one at each angle of a rectangle, as shown in Fig. 2. They project upward through a metallic plate, N, rabbeted upon its under side, to be received in the ring I and to cover an annular trough, j, formed in the upper side of the said ring. This trough is designed to receive a lubricating-oil or other substance of like nature, which passes into it through an opening in plateN, closed by a suitable cap. The lubricant runs over the ring between the bed-plate and disk.

In attaching this device to the vehicle the head-block is received between the bolts L, and clip-plates passed over their ends, nuts a being then applied in the usual way.

Sometimes, instead of concavin g the middle 7 part of thebed-plate, I may hollow out the under side of the disk J, as shown in Fig. 1, the

object of either construction being to provide an oil-chamber and decrease friction.

.What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the bed-plate Gr, secured to the axle, and provided with eyest' upon its edge, of the disk J, bearing on said plate, and provided with the screw-bolts L, the overhanging ring I, having lugs 'i, the clamp -bolts ,h, the rabbeted cap plate N, passed over the bolts L, the head-block F, and a clip device securing the bolts L to the block, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL SCOTT OLAAR.

Witnesses:

- FRANK FLETCHER,

WALTER F. MOORE. 

